UNC Surges Past Seahawks, 82-55

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina – Redshirt junior guard GiGi Smith led UNCW with 21 points, including 14 in the second half, but North Carolina used a blistering start from the field to build an early and never looked back en route to an 82-55 victory over the Seahawks in Carmichael Arena on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tar Heels snapped their three-game losing streak while upping their record to 6-4 on the season. UNCW, meanwhile, dropped to 5-3 after losing for the second time in three games.

Redshirt junior guard Stephanie Watts erupted for a season-high 35 points in the win for Carolina, making 12-of-20 shots from the field, including a 9-for-16 showing from three-point range. The Wesley Chapel, N.C., native scored 23 of her 35 points in the first half as the Tar Heels sprinted to a 55-32 advantage.

Sophomore center Janelle Bailey and junior guard Taylor Koenen each added a double-double for the Tar Heels. Bailey, the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman-of-the-Year, tallied 13 points with 12 rebounds while Koenen authored her first double-double of the year with 11 points and 12 boards.